
Time To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-Suite
The only constant is change.
To successfully navigate through the change, leaders need the time and space to focus.
It’s time to press pause.
Ellen Williams, CEO of The Salient Strategist, is the host of these raw, intimate C-Suite "press pause" stories. Listen to the why, when, and how they knew it was time to press pause and their outcomes.
Pausing to focus is crucial, whether it is minutes, days, weeks, or longer because some decisions can be made quickly, but many can’t and shouldn’t.
Time To Press Pause - Real-Life Stories from the C-Suite
Strive for Peace with Anatoly Spektor
In this episode of Time to Press Pause, Ellen Williams interviews Anatoly Spektor, founder of Soul to Soul Business and a seasoned entrepreneur, about the pivotal pauses that reshaped his life and work. Anatoly shares his early experiences as a software developer and consultant, reflecting on how he repeatedly ignored the signs of burnout and misalignment in corporate roles. These experiences led him to press pause, journal deeply, and analyze recurring patterns, ultimately shifting his focus toward creating businesses that align with his values. He candidly discusses the dangers of staying in comfortable but unfulfilling roles and how chasing "passive income" disconnected him from both his customers and his purpose.
Anatoly recounts how stepping back—sometimes for months—allowed him to reassess his strengths, recognize gaps in leadership and team dynamics, and build a business model that integrated his technical and strategic expertise. This journey culminated in the creation of Soul to Soul, a consultancy helping purpose-driven entrepreneurs scale impactful businesses. Rather than pursuing ventures purely for financial gain, he now works with clients whose missions he believes in, bringing clarity, process design, and deep personal investment to each engagement.
Throughout the conversation, Anatoly emphasizes the power of asking the right questions, the importance of listening to internal and external signals to know when to pause, and the transformative value of seeking help. He challenges the myth of effortless passive income and reframes success as building a business that brings peace and pride. Ellen echoes this sentiment, reflecting on her own journey toward finding peace through introspection and alignment. Together, they offer a compelling message: growth comes not just from doing, but from pausing with purpose.
To learn more about Anatoly, visit https://soultosoulshow.com/
To learn more about Ellen, visit https://thesalientstrategist.com/